Vechart: How campus ministry cultivates life skills

May is one of my favorite months, not only because it brings warm weather to our frigid area, but also because it ushers in beautiful endings and beginnings.

The most obvious ending is that of the school year. Excited high school seniors are ready to receive their diplomas and move on to whatever else life has for them, while anxious college seniors are freaking out because they don’t know what they want to do with their lives.

The two- to five-year period between graduating from high school and graduating from a college or technical school can be a self-defining time in a person’s life. For the first time, many young adults get to ask and live out the question “Who do I want to be?”

I have the privilege of watching and living life with college students that step onto the university campus at 18 and leave as very different individuals in their early 20s. I love my job, but I don’t think many people know what my job is or that it even exists. I want to share the value in what I do and how it benefits the community at-large.

I am on staff with a Christian campus ministry, and I work with students on the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh campus. Campus ministry is basically bringing the church onto campus and making it accessible and relatable to students.

For those who identify as part of the Christian faith, it’s easy to share why campus ministry has value. It allows students to continue with their faith in college, as well as grow deeper in their relationship with Jesus.

For those who don’t identify with the Christian faith, I can understand why campus ministry would seem unimportant. The “religion” aspect can seem daunting if you follow a different one, or if you don’t believe in God.

We live in a world where we will interact daily with people who believe different things than we do. One of the great privileges I have when talking with students is listening to those who have a different view of the world. I get to be a living example of how we can interact well with those who believe differently than we do.

Campus ministry allows for students to have open and honest conversations about faith. A lot of students will walk onto the college campus at 18 and avoid conversations about religion. Maybe it's uncomfortable to talk about, or they don’t want to start an argument. But shouldn’t we be able to have conversations about religion without it turning into an argument? And isn’t the best place to have those conversations on a college campus where young adults can learn how to engage well with others who hold different beliefs?

Being in campus ministry, I have to face these thoughts and questions every week. My hope is not only to send off seniors in May who love the Lord, but also to make sure they can work and live side-by-side with people who are different than them.

So if you are a parent, consider encouraging your future freshman to check out a campus ministry at their college. It could be an amazing learning opportunity for them.